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Americans will experience this policy shift through higher borrowing costs: No longer will it be insanely cheap to take out mortgages or car loans. And money in the bank will finally earn something, albeit not much.
“Money will no longer be free,” said Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM US.
When the pandemic erupted, the Fed made it almost free to borrow in an effort to encourage spending by households and businesses. And to further boost the Covid-ravaged economy, the US central bank also printed trillions of dollars through a program known as quantitative easing and rolled out emergency credit facilities.
The Fed’s rescue worked. There was no Covid financial crisis. Vaccines and massive spending from Congress paved the way for a rapid recovery.
Borrowing costs are going up
Every time the Fed raises rates, it becomes more expensive to borrow. That means higher interest costs for mortgages, home equity lines of credit, credit cards, student debt and car loans. Business loans will also get pricier, for businesses large and small.
The most tangible way this is playing out is in mortgages, where expectations of rate hikes have already driven up rates.
But it’ll still be relatively cheap to borrow
None of this means it will suddenly become expensive to finance purchases.
And if there are five rate hikes, the midpoint of the fed funds rate would be sitting at a relatively low 1.375%.
Still, the impact to borrowing costs in coming months will depend chiefly on the speed of the Fed’s rate hikes. There remains much debate about that, although Chairman Jerome Powell said Wednesday he believes there is “quite a bit of room” to raise rates without threatening the jobs market.
Good news for savers
Rock-bottom rates have penalized savers. Money stashed in savings, certificates of deposit (CD) and money market accounts has earned almost nothing during Covid (and for much of the past 14 years, for that matter). Measured against inflation, savers have lost money.
The good news, however, is that these interest rates will rise as the Fed gets away from zero. Savers will start to earn interest again.
But this takes time to play out. In many cases, especially with traditional accounts at big banks, the impact won’t happen be felt overnight.
And even after several rate hikes, savings rates will still be very low — below inflation and expected returns in the stock market.
Markets will have to adjust
All this free money has been amazing for the stock market. Zero percent interest rates depress government bond rates, essentially forcing investors to bet on risky assets like stocks. (Wall Street even has an expression for this: TINA, which stands for “there is no alternative.”)
At a minimum, rate hikes mean the stock market will face more competition going forward from boring government bonds.
The goal of the Fed’s interest rate hikes is to get inflation under control.
The high cost of living is causing financial headaches for millions of Americans and contributing significantly to relatively low levels of consumer confidence, not to mention President Joe Biden’s low approval ratings.
Yet it will take time for the Fed’s interest rate hikes to start chipping away at inflation. And even then, inflation will still be subject to the whims of the supply chain mess, strong demand. And, of course, Covid.


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Teletrac Navman UK has developed a new Driver Safety Analytics Module that combines dashcam technology with telematics data. The new technology forms part of the telematics firm’s existing Director system and provides fleet managers with the information they need to reduce road risk and ensure safe driving practices across their fleets. It features a forward-facing dashboard camera, which continuously records high definition video. Recordings are all accessible via an integrated Event Viewer, which allows fleet managers to replay any dangerous […]
DHL Supply Chain has joined the Movement to Work scheme, which helps businesses train people aged 18-24.
Roadways Container Logistics is to introduce Fargo Systems’ smartphone telematics software into its business, allowing employees to respond to changing delivery and planning requirements on the go. The five-year deal will see the Tops On the Go Android smartphone software put in the hands of employees working out of Roadways’ seven depots. Initially 50 units will be deployed, with full implementation during the first quarter of 2013 providing coverage across the business and the operator’s 300-strong vehicle fleet. Using the […]

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On Thursday, Microsoft Corp. released poor fourth-quarter earnings blaming the global economic downturn and a slumping PC market.
Microsoft said its profit in the last quarter plunged 29 percent, its first decline in full-year revenue in the company's 34-year history.
“Our business continued to be negatively impacted by weakness in the global PC and server markets,” said Chris Liddell, chief financial officer at Microsoft.
The software giant reported earnings of $3.05 billion, or 34 cents a share, down from $4.3 billion, or 46 cents a share, a year earlier.
Revenue was down 17 percent, to $13.1 billion from $15.83 billion. Analysts had expected Microsoft to post revenue of $14.37 billion.
Shares lost as much 8% in late trading after gaining 76 cents, or 3%, to $25.56 in regular trading.
Profit slumped across all of Microsoft's business segments, including a particularly steep 33% decline in its Client division, which makes the Windows operating system products.
Despite the disappointing earnings in the quarter ending June 30, Microsoft is seeing strong hope next year.
“While economic conditions presented challenges this year, we maintained our focus on delivering customer satisfaction and providing solutions to our customers to save money,” said Kevin Turner, chief operating officer at Microsoft.
Microsoft unveils its new Bing search engine to the public in June and unveils its cloud-based suite of Office software to be launched next year. The Company is also plan to release its next generation Windows 7 operating system generally to the public on October this year.


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INDIA SALES: Top 10 motorcycles – October 2017 | Hero MotoCorp models on a high
Hero MotoCorp’s four key motorcycle brands – Splendor, HF Deluxe, Passion and Glamour – drive its volumes month-on-month. Not surprisingly, they are the heroes of October 2017.
Motorcycles continue to be the staple mode of commuting for people across India. For the first seven months of the ongoing fiscal, the motorcycle segment accounted for almost 62 percent of the overall domestic two-wheeler market.
Although the penetration of scooters has slowed down the demand for motorcycles to some extent, they continue to grow across the 100cc, 125cc, 150cc-200cc, 250cc-500cc segments year-on-year. This reflects demand for motorcycles not only at the lowest strata of the society but also amongst the growing middle-class, which aspires to now climb from the typical mass commuter machines to more performance-oriented models powered by engines bigger than 150cc.
When it comes to motorcycles, Hero MotoCorp – India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer – dominates its rivals by commanding 50 percent of the domestic market. Figuratively, Hero MotoCorp’s market share in this segment stood at 51.03 percent during April-October 2017. It has jumped from 50.03 percent during the corresponding period in 2016. Bajaj Auto (16.05 percent) is the second largest motorcycle manufacturer followed by Honda (15.66 percent) and TVS Motor Company (7.57 percent) during the same period this fiscal.
Hero MotoCorp’s four key motorcycle brands – Splendor, HF Deluxe, Passion and Glamour – drive its volumes month-on-month. They represent the 100cc-125cc mass and executive commuter categories. Interestingly, the company’s market share in the entry-level category, which is powered by engines bigger than 75cc and less than or equal to 110cc, stands at 73.50 percent during April-October 2017.
However, Honda tops in the second most affordable category, which is powered by engines bigger than 110cc and less than or equal to 125cc. Termed as the executive mass commuter motorcycle category, Honda’s 125cc CB Shine is the conventional bestseller.
Among the top selling motorcycles in October 2017, Hero MotoCorp’s entry-level Splendor, HF Deluxe, Passion and its 125cc Glamour occupy the top four slots in that order. Bajaj Auto has three entries (Pulsar, CT100 and Platina) and Honda (CB Shine), TVS Motor (Apache) and Royal Enfield (Classic 350) have one model each featuring in the list.
While the Splendor sold 215,631 units (down 15.38 percent YoY), the HF Deluxe and Passion families fetched sales of 151,656 units (up 13.19 percent YoY) and 88,997 units (up 1.72 percent YoY) respectively.
The Hero Glamour has outsold its rival Honda CB Shine by almost 5,700 units in October 2017. This can be attributed to the YoY decline in the CB Shine’s volume as it reported a drop of 11,620 units YoY, which translates into a sharp fall of 14.04 percent YoY. The Hero Glamour, which sold 76,830 units last month, grew by a flat 2 percent YoY. The model had recorded sale of 75,320 units in October last year.
Bajaj Auto’s Pulsar range, CT100 models and Platina family have ranked sixth, seventh and eighth in the list respectively. The Pulsar, which is the largest and most lucrative umbrella of motorcycles in Bajaj Auto’s product portfolio, has reported sales of 64,233 units, up 1.49 percent YoY. The CT100, on the other hand, has recorded sale of 59,827 units (up an impressive 40.39 percent YoY), thanks to the new electric start (CT100 ES) variant added recently.
At number eight, the Bajaj Platina too has reported a good growth of 4.56 percent YoY with sales of 52,834 units last month.
Royal Enfield’s top selling model, Classic 350, is India’s ninth most popular motorcycle in terms of retail sales. The model sold 48,469 units, up by an impressive 30.98 percent YoY. Notably, in October 2017, the Classic 350 contributed more than 71 percent to Royal Enfield’s total monthly sales, which stood at 68,014 units.
TVS Motor’s flagship brand, Apache RTR is at the tenth spot with sales of 34,185 units in October 2017. The bike’s sales performance, however, is reportedly down by 2.97 percent YoY. The company is learnt to be planning new model launches later this fiscal including new entry-level midsize motorcycle and new scooter models too.
Multiple new product launches are scheduled during Q3 and Q4 FY2018 by many two-wheeler OEMs. It would be interesting to note how they are received in the domestic market. Stay glued.
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- For Urby’s 5,000-square-foot farm in Stapleton there’s a new grower in town. Olivia Gamber, originally from South Jersey, is taking over the raised beds and rooftop gardens in the complex under the moniker “Rabbit’s Garden Farm.”
“I am the farmer in residence,” said the 22-year old, who grew up gardening with her mother and grandmother.
Coming to Staten Island, she said, was “happenstance.” While living on campus at the The New School in Manhattan, friends found more affordable housing in St. George. So Gamber moved to Staten Island.
“I loved it so much I didn’t leave for three years,” she recalled.
Although she applied for jobs post-college throughout the East Coast, she explained: “Life got me back to Staten Island to stay.”
On the heels of husband-and-wife farmers Zaro Bates and Asher Landes, Gamber also plans for an interactive format with bi-monthly workshops, “table-to-farm” dinners -- and an “Earth Day Community Cleanup," to take place on Saturday, April 27. The latter project includes a session on “how to make wildflower seed bombs.” Participants can help plant the flowers and can take a few “bombs” home.
Will there be honey and beehives?
“In the future they’ll come back -- just not this season,” she said.
In the meantime, her business model includes supplying Urby restaurants -- Surf, Seppe and Barca -- with herbs, microgreens, tomatoes and other vegetables as they come into season. While Rabbit’s Garden employs organic practices -- it is not a certified organic farm.
Gamber has a pre-paid CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program in motion for June through October with select, Staten Island-grown produce bundles and flowers.
She offers a sliding scale for CSA payment guided by an honor system.
For a large share (five to seven items), the cost is $528 ($24 per week) for the season, whereas a small share (three to four items) costs $308 ($14 per week.) Middle income patrons pay $396 ($18 per week) for a large and $231 ($10.50 per week) for a small. Lower-middle income households will see a cost of $246 ($12 per week) for the large package and $154 ($7 per week.) Low income and EBT/SNAP-participating customers will be charged $198 ($9 a week) for the large and $115 ($5.25 per week) for a small.
That four-hour window on Wednesdays will see compost drop-off and CSA pick-ups.
“If you don’t have a CSA you can shop at the stand,” said Gamber.
Farm-related events will be posted on Rabbit’s Garden RabbitsGardenFarm.com.
In other Staten Island farm news, the St. George Greenmarket is open year round from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays at the corner of Hyatt St. and St. Mark’s Place. The Staten Island Mall market should open Saturday, May 18. Gerardi’s Farmers Market is open -- 561 Richmond Terrace, New Brighton; 718-727-7787 -- with limited inventory. Plans for the Heritage Farm stand at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Livingston, “are still up in the air,” according to a Snug spokesperson. Per Se restaurant will return to cook at the campus using the yield from the prolific two-acre patch.


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Tim Hortons’ profits jump 5.5% to $90.9m in first quarter
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Tim Hortons Inc. (TSX: THI) says it earned $90.9 million in net profit, up 5.5 per cent from $86.2 million in the same quarter of 2013.
That’s 66 cents per share diluted versus 56 cents, an increase of 17 per cent year-over-year.
Revenues were up 4.8 per cent to $766.4 million compared with $731.5 million year-over-year.
Analysts on average had expected a profit of 68 cents per share, according to estimates compiled by Thomson Reuters.
Same-store sales were up 1.6 per cent in Canada and 1.9 per cent in the United States.
Tim Hortons says it opened 23 restaurants in Canada and 11 in the United States in the quarter.
The coffee chain says its operating expenses increased by 7.3 per cent in the quarter because of such things as increased rent, renovations and new restaurant openings.
In February, Tim Hortons announced it was pulling the Cold Stone Creamery brand from its Canadian restaurants, as part of bigger changes that have included removing about two dozen items from the menu since last fall.
“We made continued progress in the first quarter as we focused on aspects of our business where we could make an immediate impact, including simplifying our operations, enhancing our restaurants and introducing menu innovations,” president and chief executive Marc Caira said in a statement.
“Our organization has mobilized quickly to begin executing on the strategic plan we announced in February. We will see further progress this year in key areas of our strategic road map as we seek to drive sustainable long-term growth.”
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The sterling rose to a two-year high against the euro in overnight trading in Asia before moving back. More gains are expected when North American markets open.


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Photo credit: Getty / Rich Fury
Okay! So Cardi B may have just landed her biggest commercial break!
Artists like Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and Britney Spears have joined Pepsi’s HUGE Super Bowl Ad Campaign, and Cardi B is now added to this incredible list.
The “Money” rapper is this year’s Pepsi celeb spokesperson, and she has already filmed the commercial! The ad will officially air during Super Bowl 53.
This particular commercial is THE premiere commercial during the HUGE game, which will be watched by hundreds of millions of people, and will make a huge impact on the internet as well.
Cindy Crawford was featured in last year’s commercial; peep the clip below:
As previously reported, Cardi B was invited by Maroon 5 to join them in the Super Bowl Half Time Show, however, she turned it down to support Colin Kaepernick.
While she isn’t performing during half-time, her commercial will still be a very influential part of the Super Bowl broadcast, because if you don’t watch the game, you’re more than likely watching the commercials!


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The Electric Revolution Arrives in Exeter
EMotive’s electric truck excursion into Exeter city center was nothing short of a spectacle. As the truck rumbled quietly down the streets, it was as much a statement as it was a sight to behold. Gathered onlookers marveled at the sleek, futuristic design of the vehicle, a far cry from the noisy, emissions-spewing trucks of yesteryear.
Bringing the Scarab vehicle to the heart of Exeter sends a powerful message to city dwellers. It’s a promise of a cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable future for urban transportation. With air quality and noise pollution becoming growing concerns in city centers, electric trucks like Emotive’s offer a solution that benefits everyone.
This event showcased the technological advancement that electric vehicles have made in recent years, proving that they are no longer just a concept for the future but a reality in the present.


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Planners in Napa County, California, have postponed the release date for the draft environmental impact report (EIR) for the Syar quarry’s proposed expansion, according to a report from the Napa Valley Register. The planners delayed the draft EIR’s release to rework ...
California-based Syar Industries has proposed an expansion of its Napa quarry operations that would extend quarrying to the easternmost portions of its site, according to the Napa Valley Register. The plans would require Skyline Park Citizens’ Association to redesign the park’s ...
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BRADFORD’s Kirkgate Shopping Center will be demolished as part of a major town center transformation plan.
Bradford Council has just announced that it has bought the nearly 50-year-old shopping center for £15.5million with a view to demolishing it in the coming years as part of its long-running plan to create a “urban village”.
READ MORE: Primark’s Bradford branch to move to former Debenhams unit on Broadway
As part of the reshuffle, retail giant Primark will move from Kirkgate to the former Debenhams unit of the Broadway shopping centre, with other retailers offering help to move into the many other vacant units in the town centre.
Once the brutalist Kirkgate center is flattened, its place will be taken by green space, housing and small commercial spaces.
MEMORABILIA: Arndale Center to Kirkgate Center – Bradford’s first shopping center
The scheme, which could be seen as a huge gamble by Council, will be tied to housing projects at the Oastler Market site.
This building will also be demolished once the under construction Darley Street Market – opposite Kirkgate – opens.
The plans come at a time when empty store units are becoming an increasingly common sight in the city center.
The Kirkgate Center opened in 1976 – then called Arndale Center – and has been dubbed Bradford’s “space-age mall”.
It controversially replaced the city’s much-loved Victorian Kirkgate Market, which was demolished to make way for the then-modern shopping centre.
It is currently home to 46 stores and catering businesses, including Boyes, Sports Direct, New Look, Yours and Card Factory – as well as Primark.
Many townspeople have fond memories of the centre, from Santa’s visit to Kirkgate Grotto to Saturday shopping.
However, its austere design compared to the city’s grand Victorian buildings has earned it a reputation as one eyesore among many.
READ MORE: Predict Odsal Stadium to become ‘world class’ with huge cash boost
In recent years, the center has suffered from a high number of vacant units, in part due to competition from The Broadway, which opened in 2015, and changing buying habits.
Plans to flatten the center were revealed by Council bosses during a briefing with the Telegraph & Argus, where Council bosses unveiled an early draft of what the reshaped city center would look like.
READ MORE: Work to transform High Point – Bradford’s most controversial building
The center is not expected to close anytime soon, with Primark unlikely to move to Broadway until 2024.
The council says the changes will ‘create a sustainable, future-oriented town center where the business, retail, residential and leisure sectors work in unison to deliver transformational regeneration’.
Councilor Alex Ross Shaw, the council’s executive member for planning, regeneration and transport, said with retail increasingly concentrating around Broadway and more high street chains disappearing British cities, a change in this sector of the city was necessary.
He said: ‘With Kirkgate demolished, the town’s village can expand. It will become a mix of green spaces and different types of housing.
READ MORE: 1972: A Last Look at Kirkgate Market
“It will be led by housing, but with commercial spaces on the ground floor of some of the new buildings. There will be a lot more green infrastructure than in current subdivisions.
He said the aim was to avoid the cheap, shoddy housing that has plagued the city center for years, adding: ‘We need to get a good mix of housing.
“It has to be something different; we don’t just want one bed apartments or studios.
“We want more families and more young professionals.
READ MORE: More details revealed about huge Bradford road transformation plans
“We need more housing to be built on brownfields, and that’s what it does. We need to make sure it’s visually fantastic, not just huge apartment buildings. It will be a high quality development that will introduce something new to the city.
In addition to the space that will be left over from the demolition of the Oastler Center and nearby Westgate parking lot, the changes will create 13 acres of development space in the city.
The planned City Village will have up to 1,000 homes and will include the ongoing redevelopment of High Point.
The City Village map also includes other sites that have been reserved for housing for years, including a number of council-owned car parks off Westgate.
Asked what will happen to the other Kirkgate tenants, Cllr Ross Shaw said Council staff would work with them to “see what their ambitions are”.
READ MORE: Souvenirs from Bradford’s shopping malls: From fountains to climbing the wooden hippopotamus
He added: “If they want to stay in the city center we will try to find a place for them to go.”
Ben Middleton, deputy director of estates and property, said he didn’t want retailers in the center to “freak out” – and there would be a period of around two years before Primark moved and the work to close the center does not begin.
Until then, Bradford Council will operate the center as normal.
He expects many of Kirkgate’s larger retailers to move to units on Broadway, adding: “We want to focus our premium retail offering in this part of town.”
READ MORE: The Broadway says ‘new announcements’ should be made this summer
He added: “Some of the tenants will want to move to Bradford. With others their leases expiring within the next couple of years, some could watch all that’s happening in the retail industry and choose to retire.
The Council said construction could start by 2025, but Cllr Ross Shaw says a challenge will be making the huge changes without causing disruption during Bradford’s year of culture city, also in 2025 .
He added, “We will have to revisit the timescales to see how we deliver the work with City of Culture underway. It is unrealistic to think that we will have it demolished and rebuilt before 2025, it is something that we will have to look into.
“The city of culture is the key priority for us, so we will work around that. By 2025 Darley Street Market, Bradford Live and One City Park will be open, so the city will look very different.
Councilor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council, said: “We are heading into a very different post-pandemic world.
“Good local authorities across the country use their assets and resources to shape their local economy to make it vibrant and sustainable in the future.
“That’s what we’re doing here in Bradford by supporting this major anchor site.”
Ian Ward, Managing Director of The Broadway, said: “After working closely with Bradford Council and Primark, we are delighted to announce that Primark will open a 55,000 square foot unit in the former Debenhams store.
“The retail industry has really felt the effects of the pandemic and I’m happy to say, as we enter the second half of 2022, we’re definitely coming out the other side more positive than ever. The Broadway will announce a host of new retailers before the end of the year to further support the local economy.”
Kari Rodgers, UK Retail Director at Primark, said: “We are delighted to be moving to The Broadway, which puts us in the heart of Bradford. The new store will put us in a prime location to give customers more of what they love.
“We look forward to starting work on the new store and welcoming new and old customers through the doors.”
NEC Group, which will lead the Bradford Live underdevelopment, welcomed the plans.
Guy Dunstan, Managing Director of NEC Group Ticketing and Arenas, said: “It will be fantastic to see the City Village project come to life, bringing with it a host of new growth opportunities and showcasing Bradford’s ambitious regeneration plans.
“We are really delighted to be part of the city’s regeneration projects ourselves, as we look forward to the opening of Bradford Live. We know these latest developments will fit perfectly with our new world-class site in the heart of the city.
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Kirkgate Shopping Center to be demolished as part of major city center changes


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PNG Jewellers, after witnessing a 35-40% rise in demand for lightweight jewellery, launched a new collection in August last year, which starts at Rs 10,000, much below its bridal line starting at Rs 2 lakh. Tanishq, too, renewed its focus on the category in August.
According to industry estimates, about 70-80% of jewellery bought online in India is priced below Rs 30,000.
As consumer demand for fine jewellery suffered due to the soaring prices of gold and a fall in discretionary spending over the last year, fine jewellery players have rejigged their strategies to tap the lightweight segment. Since July, companies such as ORRA, PNG Jewellers and Tanishq have introduced lighter collections, both in weight and on the consumer’s pocket.
ORRA, which has its traditional bridal range priced at above Rs 2 lakh, introduced a new collection called ‘Desired’ last month, priced in the Rs 8,000-1,00,000 range. Similarly, PNG Jewellers, after witnessing a 35-40% rise in demand for lightweight jewellery, launched a new collection in August last year, which starts at Rs 10,000, much below its bridal line starting at Rs 2 lakh. Tanishq, too, renewed its focus on the category in August.
“As gold prices went up, we redesigned our products to ensure that we can give them the look and feel of heavy jewellery at a lower weight,” says Arun Narayan, VP – category, marketing and retail, Tanishq, Titan Company. The company has also witnessed traction for its lightweight diamond jewellery, priced below Rs 50,000.
Gold prices, which started climbing with the onset of 2020, went up to touch a record high of Rs 56,191 (per 10 gm) in August last year. The market, however, has recovered somewhat now and the price of the precious metal is hovering at around Rs 45,000 per 10 gm. Besides gold prices, factors such as a fall in discretionary spending by consumers as well as fewer occasions to wear jewellery have also affected sales. Weddings, for instance, contribute about 40-50% to jewellery sales in India, and the postponement of weddings or muted ceremonies last year impacted demand. Under these circumstances, consumers, brands say, have shifted to buying lightweight jewellery for gifting and daily-wear purposes.
Moreover, as these traditional retail players moved to online channels in the wake of the pandemic, lightweight jewellery became a key focus area. According to industry estimates, about 70-80% of jewellery bought online in India is priced below Rs 30,000.
“Consumers, who are new to the digital channel, often end up buying lightweight items while browsing through our platform,” says Saurabh Gadgil, MD and CEO, PNG Jewellers. About 10-15% of the company’s inventory presently is in the lightweight jewellery category. However, this is expected to contribute about a third of its sales, going forward. The marketing strategy of these brands is also heavily inclined towards the digital channel. “For our bridal collection we would talk to the mother of the bride, but now we are targeting the millennials,” says Dipu Mehta, managing director, ORRA.
The company has roped in Disha Patani as brand ambassador to target young women and about 75% of its marketing budget would go towards digital marketing and outdoor media.
Though several start-ups such as Melorra, BlueStone and CaratLane have sprouted in the online segment recently, the channel commands less than 1-2% share in the jewellery market in India, as per industry estimates. Experts believe that established brands could have an edge in this market.
“Even for lightweight jewellery, consumers have to part with Rs 20,000-30,000 and hence, they are more likely to buy from a familiar brand as compared to newer entrants,” says Harminder Sahni, founder and MD, Wazir Advisors. More challenges, however, may come from the design aspect as consumers who are buying at these price points might be more fashion-conscious rather than metal-conscious.
“The design for bridal jewellery, which is the stronghold of these established companies, has always been traditional,” says Pinakiranjan Mishra, sector leader – consumer products and retail, EY India. “As they target younger audiences now, brands will have to come up with contemporary designs frequently.”
Hence, non-precious or imitation jewellery, which is known to offer trendy designs at prices as low as Rs 500, could pose a threat to these companies as they tap the lightweight segment.


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This will be the third price hike by Tata Motors. The company had earlier increased the prices by up to 1.8 percent in May 2021. In January this year, the prices of cars were also increased by up to Rs 26,000.
Earlier this month, Tata Motors announced that it is planning to increase prices across its passenger vehicle line-up. However, the company did not disclose the deadline or quantum of the hike at that time. Now according to a report in PTI, the domestic carmaker will increase the prices of its passenger vehicles in India from next week. Through this price hike, the company aims to offset the steep rise in the procurement cost of essential materials like steel and precious metals.
This will be the third price hike by the Indian carmaker this year. Shailesh Chandra, President, Passenger Vehicles Business Unit, Tata Motors told PTI, “We have seen a very sharp increase in the prices of steel and precious metals in the last one year. The financial impact of the rise in commodity prices is from the past one year. This is 8-8.5 per cent of our revenue in the last one year.”
Shailesh Chandra also said, “From a company perspective, we have grown by only 2.5 per cent. Ex-showroom, it will be around 3 per cent, so there is a big difference in input cost in the increase that has been made but this gap is still widening because the prices of essential commodities are rising, so now we are going to start from next week. We are forced to increase the prices of vehicles. He further added that the company has been able to mitigate some of the impact of rising input costs, as it did not want to pass on a significant amount of price increases to the customers. However, he added that the carmaker is currently working on enhancements in each model/trim.
The automaker had earlier increased prices by up to 1.8 percent in May 2021. In January this year, the prices of cars were also increased by up to Rs 26,000. The carmaker sells a number of passenger vehicles in the Indian market like Tiago, Tigor, Nexon, Harrier and Safari.
These companies also announced to increase the prices
Maruti Suzuki India has recently increased the prices of Swift and all CNG models by up to Rs 15,000 due to rising cost. Honda Car India has also announced a hike in car prices from next month as it seeks to offset the impact of hike in commodity rates. Similarly, Toyota India will also increase the prices of the Innova Crysta MPV with effect from August 1, 2021, due to a substantial increase in input cost.
read this also-
Now cars will run on green-hydrogen on Indian roads, the center is preparing to bring alternative fuel
Hero Splendor, which gives mileage of 55 kmpl, is available for just 32 thousand rupees, along with a chance to buy these vehicles


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Davies indicated that it had canvassed the initial list of designated products with stakeholders and that the first designations would cover the public procurement of buses, power pylons, railway rolling stock, some pharmaceuticals, set-top boxes, clothing, textiles and leather footwear and certain food and canning products.
A standard was being established to govern whether or not a product could be considered to be local, and Davies stressed that the definition related to local production and not to the ownership of the supplying organisation.
Gordhan said that the accord could also be viewed as a 'stimulus package', as it should boost local demand at a time when South Africa's main trading partners were experiencing a slowdown in growth. He said that the "cooperative" deal could stimulate demand from manufacturers, bolster production and help to create jobs.
The cooperative elements of the deal related to the voluntary commitments made under the accord by business and labour to increase local procurement, including the possibility of setting sector- or product-specific targets, where feasible.
NO BLANK CHEQUE
But Congress of South African Trade Unions general-secretary Zwelinzima Vavi stressed that the “milestone” accord was not about holding domestic consumers to ransom, to be “milked” by uncompetitive local suppliers.
““This does not represent a desire to sign blank cheque,” Vavi added, arguing that it was premised on supporting competitive manufacturers that could help reverse the deindustrialisation and job losses of the South African economy.
Gordhan added that the changes to the PPFA should give life to the buy-local push, but added that there would also be a strong focus on combating fraud and corruption and on ensuring value for money, particularly given the tightening fiscal balance. He lamented the fact that there had been instances in which products, such as computers, retailing for R9 999.99, were being sold to government at closer to R19 999.99.
Davies added that efforts would be made to ensure that local suppliers did not seek to profiteer and indicated that monitoring systems would be designed to both establish better visibility of what goods and services were being procured from local sources, and also to avoid inflated prices being charged to government.
A joint monitoring and evaluation committee, comprising senior representatives from each constituency, would also be set up. The first meeting would be held by June 2012 and regular progress reports would be prepared.
Davies said the aim was to replicate the success of the recent antiretroviral procurement process, whereby government was able to finalise a deal that resulted in higher levels of localisation at a lower price.
Business Unity South Africa CEO Nomaxabiso Majokweni described the accord as another “tool” available to help support transformation, adding that business would be interrogating their own supply chains to assess buy-local opportunities.
She added that companies would be encouraged to intensify their efforts to “intentionally” source South African-produced goods and services. It emerge that the lead would be taken by members of Business Leadership South Africa, whose 84 members include the largest listed, multinational and State-owned companies operating in South Africa.
The business and labour signatories to the accord also committed to sourcing stationary, office equipment and promotional items such as T-shirts and hats from local suppliers.
An implementation 'road map' would be developed to address priority sectors and products, as well as sequencing, actioning and monitoring.
Business would host a workshop before November 30 to inform suppliers of the first designated products, where strategies to upscale local procurement would be discussed. A South African Diversity Development Conference would be hosted by April 30, 2012, and talks on further support for local procurement from the retail sector would begin in February next year.


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This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act for the $2.1 bil. cash acquisition of Pfizer's Schneider unit by Boston Scientific expires on July 31, Pfizer reports ("The Gray Sheet" June 22, p. 2). For the three months ended June 30, Boston Scientific reports net income of $79 mil. compared to $90 mil. in the second quarter of 1997 (exclusive of special charges). Revenues are up 7% during the period to $506 mil
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One Animation’s Oddbods, together with mobile game publisher goGame, a subsidiary of SEGA, have announced the global roll out of their endless runner mobile game, Oddbods Turbo Run.
Oddbods Turbo Run combines freemium game play with the hilarious antics of the Oddbods characters and it’s already a proven formula: Having soft launched in the US, Malaysia and the Philippines last month, the game has already racked up an eye-watering 160,000 installs, strong retention rates, impressive five-star reviews on the App Store as well as a feature on the Google Play Store. The game has now been translated into 10 languages; Spanish, French, Portuguese, Turkish, Russian, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, Thai and Vietnamese.
Sashim Parmanand, CEO, One Animation comments; “goGame have developed an excellent game which not only captures the fun and quirky spirit of the Oddbods brand but which seamlessly integrates this into the play pattern. Oddbods Turbo Run is a fantastic addition to our product portfolio and gives us further opportunity to continue to delight fans with new brand activations across multiple platforms, delivering content when, and how, our loyal fan base choose to consume it.
David Ng, CEO of goGame added: “Right from the get-go, we believed that the endearing and mischievous Oddbods would be a superb brand for a mobile game—and Oddbods Turbo Run’s positive soft launch reception has validated that. In this global launch, we’re immensely excited for this opportunity to bring delight to the rest of the world through One Animation’s award-winning creations.”
The global roll out of goGame is the first release in a pipeline of new brand activations and initiatives to be announced in 2019 and is available on both iOS and Android platforms.


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Haigh spoke after Miller Brands revealed research showing £1 in every £4 spent on beer in London was on a super-premium beer.
“Spirits have done super-premium for years,” he told the PMA. “This segmentation is something that people are already familiar with, are looking for and its future in beer has been helped by the craft-beer movement.”
However, beer brands and pubs had to meet five key points before being able to command higher prices for the beers, he added.
The five points were:
- Brand story
- Experience – the serve and glassware
- Visual identity – the use of the logo and correct glassware
If brands and pubs can achieve these five points, then customers will pay a premium price for their pint.
“If you get all of those five things right, then they [customers] will allow you the sixth point, which is a higher price,” Haigh explained.
“But, if you price it too low then there’s no trust [from the customer] in the beer because they think ‘how can it be super-premium, when you’re so cheap?’”
Modern craft-beer brands have got the five points right and have been hitting the five points and charging a premium for their beers. But now mainstream brands had to get it right too.
“We have seen super-premium beers encouraging consumers to trade up [from standard] in the on-trade,” the beer boss added.
‘Average spend on food is higher’
“Consumers will drink super-premium, and their average spend on things like food is around 51% higher than those who drink standard beer too.”
Current trends, he explained, point towards a rise in consumer interest in beers that command a higher price point, such as Miller Brands’ Peroni and Pilsner Urquell.
“I think we can do a better job of telling people the efforts that go into getting these two beers to the UK.
“We get Peroni in from Italy and Pilsner Urquell is unpasteurised and shipped in tanks from the Czech Republic,” he said.
Yesterday (18 May), Miller Brands reported a rise in new producer revenue of 5% during the 12 months to 31 March 2016.
Meanwhile, beer and cider trends will be the headline topic at the PMA's first Future Trends: Beer and Cider event on 22 June in London.
See the full agenda and details on how to book by visiting www.FutureTrendsBeerandCider.co.uk


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NYERI Governor Nderitu Gachagua has said coffee societies must first clear the huge loans before farmers are paid their proceeds, which they began receiving last week.
"In the process of paying the farmers we have realised that many of our coffee societies had borrowed huge loans from banks and other financial institutions without the knowledge of farmers. These commitments must be honoured before the full pay out to the farmers," he said.
Gachagua said he will appoint a committee to study the level of debt of the affected societies and ensure accountability in the process of payment. He said once the debts are paid up, coffee farmers will enjoy returns.
Gachagua said the coffee cooperative societies are now processing and marketing the Nyeri coffee directly. The governor said all milled coffee will have been sold by the end of this month.
Gachagua said coffee production is expected to rise by 30 per cent as subsidised fertiliser was distributed to 104 coffee societies in the county. He told tea farmers to be patient due to decline of prices at the Mombasa auction and from the direct sales.
Dairy farmers were assured of value addition of their products, improvement of veterinary services and subsidy of animal feeds. "Our government is greatly committed to the improvement of the horticultural industry in the county. Once we conclude the study of the report of the task force, we intend to take immediate measures to boost the industry," Gachagua said.
Gachagua was accompanied by his deputy Samuel Wamathai and Nyeri county commissioner
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SKIPPING breakfast increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke, medics have warned.
Experts say those who skip breakfast — around one in four adults — are more likely to have high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
They are also more likely to be obese, have poor nutrition and be diagnosed with diabetes.
But gorging on a late evening meal could be harmful too.
It has also been linked with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Experts say the healthiest people typically plan their meals ahead and eat them at regular, well-spaced intervals.
It is thought they are more likely to eat a nutritious, well-rounded diet, and snack less on junk food that is high in fat, sugar and calories.
The advice — described as a “snapshot” of current scientific evidence — was published yesterday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
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Instead, the university’s associate professor of nutritional medicine Dr Marie-Pierre St-Onge suggested “eating mindfully” to “combat emotional eating”.


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WhatsApp addicts with an Android Wear watch could now read and also reply to incoming messages from their wrist. The application’s most recent upgrade, which is readily available now from Google Play, delivers complete Android Wear Support – in addition to enhanced message storage and some bug solutions.
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Nokia has announced that its Here mapping app will be offered as an Android beta app just for Samsung Galaxy smartphones.
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September 6, 2017
September 6, 2017
There are multiple reasons why serving less meat is beneficial to a health care system, with many of them pointed out in an article in Greenhealth’s summer 2017 issue that featured an interview (p. 22) with Cooley Dickinson’s Executive Chef Gary Weiss.
Weiss and the CDH food services staff, along with more than 40 other health care facilities, recently participated in a survey by Healthcare Without Harm on who was serving “blended burgers,” a typically beef/mushroom hybrid product designed to reduce the use of meat in hospitals and other large-scale facilities.
Weiss describes the worthy if stealthy goal of creating meat dishes that incorporate 40% non-meat ingredients (typically mushrooms for a beef-blend substitute) that taste just as good if not better than the 100% meat versions, and add extra perks like fiber and B vitamins, less fat and less sodium.
The cost savings of using less meat can add up quickly as well, and even actually allow for funds to be funneled to better-quality, locally-sourced meat to make up the remaining 60% of those burgers. Last but not least, reducing meat use on something like a hospital scale does a big favor for the earth and everyone living on it.
From the article:
Reducing the amount of meat served is one of the most powerful measures that food service departments can take to reduce climate impact. Substituting one burger with a blended burger every week for a year saves 17,000 gallons of water and 138 pounds of methane, an impact equal to driving 3,750 miles.
Delivering Healthier Health Care
Weiss believes all of these positive impacts are not only well worth aspiring to but eminently achievable, and that targeting them as goals is right in line with Cooley Dickinson’s values for delivering healthier health care and acting like responsible citizens of the community and of the planet. And it’s not at the expense of taste, either.
“Anytime we can help people, help their health, and help the environment, we’re working with the Cooley values,” Weiss said. “We try to exemplify those values, try to be a leader, to help show people how they can do it and still get the feeling of eating a burger-not be missing something.”


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Yorkshire Tea launches a £7 million campaign aimed at celebrating the brand as a place ‘where everything’s done proper’.
Yorkshire Tea has announced its biggest advertising campaign to date, featuring a host of Yorkshire stars.
Yorkshire stars appearing in the campaign include the Kaiser Chiefs, Olympians Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee, and Sir Michael Parkinson.
The first of these TV commercials is being unveiled on the evening of March 4, during The Voice on ITV.
Produced alongside its creative agency, Lucky Generals, the 3 television commercials celebrate the brand as the place where ‘everything’s done proper’.
Yorkshire Tea’s Head of Brand Marketing Kevin Sinfield says, “Two years ago, we took our philosophy of properness and a fair bit of quirky Yorkshireness to the small screen through what was a hugely successful Brewtopia campaign. Now we’re taking our passion and commitment to doing things properly to the next level through our biggest marketing campaign to date. We’re extremely proud of the new adverts; they’re fun, engaging and entertaining and with well-known celebrities at the forefront, they will drive our mission to make our belief in properness culturally famous.”
Filmed at the firm’s HQ in Harrogate, there are also cameos from its own staff.
The campaign is supported through PR, digital and social media, as the brand seeks to grow its market share of 21.7% – placing it a close third in the UK market.


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The promenade will feature an LED screen with tailor-made displays
New design details have been unveiled for MSC World Europa, the first ship in MSC Cruises’ World Class, in a video released by MSC Cruises.
“Quite unlike anything else at sea today, MSC World Europa and the entire MSC World Class redefines the cruise experience in so many ways: from the future-proof onboard technologies that this completely new platform introduces for the first time, all the way to its ground-breaking marine and interior design features,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman for MSC Cruises.
The ship will be divided into distinct districts, each offering their own experiences. These will range from an adult-only zen district to a promenade with entertainment shops and bars, as well as a separate family district with up to 10 new childrens’ facilities.
Leisure options will include a selection of new single-brand shops and the choice of six pools and 14 whirlpools. Also featured onboard will be a family sundeck, an aquapark with integrated virtual reality technology and new performance venues.
The ship will also feature 13 dining venues, including six speciality restaurants. This will include two new venues – the Chef’s Garden Kitchen focussing on microgreens and La Pescaderia, a seafood grill with alfresco seating. Several of MSC Cruises’ signature venues will be available, including Butcher’s Cut, Kaito Teppanyaki Grill and Sushi Bar and Hola! Tacos & Cantina. In addition, guests will be able to visit three buffet restaurants, one of which will be open 24 hours a day. Several new concepts for snacks and bars will also make their debut, with further details to be revealed soon.
MSC World Europa will offer 19 different categories of accommodation, with 65 per cent of cabins to have balconies. Seven new cabin types will be introduced, including balcony suites and cabins that overlook the promenade; duplex MSC Yacht Club suites with balconies, private hot tubs and an open living/dining area; Aurea Suites with balconies and private hot tubs; and Infinite Ocean view cabins with a panoramic sliding window that turns into a glass balustrade when opened.
The ship has been designed with a new platform, a 90-degree plumb bow. A Y-shaped aft will open onto the 104-metre-long Europa Promenade, offering views across the ocean. The promenade will be half-open to the sky and half-covered by an LED screen, which will feature tailor-made displays throughout the day. The Spiral will be a dry, stainless-steel slide spanning 11 decks, descending from the top of the ship to the promenade.
MSC World Europa will be the first LNG-powered vessel in MSC Cruises’ fleet. Selective catalytic reduction systems, shore-to-ship power connectivity, advanced wastewater treatments systems and an underwater radiated noise management system will also be installed onboard the ship.
“At MSC Cruises innovation will and has always been at the heart of our business, driving how with each new class of ships we reimagine the guest experience, the operations as well as every single aspect of the technology that brings it all together,” said Vago. “Whether it is the new advanced air filters that will be introduced here or the vessel’s iconic and never seen before Y-shape design, MSC World Europa is all about the future.”
The ship is currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. She is scheduled to enter service in December 2022 with an inaugural season in the Gulf, starting with a four-night sailing from Doha in Qatar to her new homeport of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. She will then offer seven-night cruises from the city to Abu Dhabi, with calls to Dammam, Saudi Arabia and Doha.
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By Scott Trudeau
Special to the Western News
Minas Portalaki of La Casa Ouzeria said he loves being recognized by patrons for his work in the family’s business.
While the restaurant was named by Penticton Western News readers as the 2018 Best of the South Okanagan award winner for Best Overall Restaurant, Portalaki was quick to note that the secret to any successful business is a commitment to hard work — and for their business that means his mother, Zacharenia “Jackie” Portalaki owner and CEO and his sister Eftalia Portalaki.
“We have won several best of titles over the years, and the recognition continues to feed our pride and inspires us to be better,” he said. “Being recognized as the best overall restaurant in a city like Penticton that is continually growing means a lot to us.
“With so many great restaurants here, an award like this voted on by the people that call Penticton home shows us that the customers genuinely appreciate all our hard work every day. We have won best overall two other times; 2008 and 2013.”
In terms of some of the keys that make successful restaurant, Portalaki said they care a lot about the process from beginning – where their food is sourced, how it is prepared with consistency – to the end result, their customers’ experience.
“I put alot of effort into training our staff to perceive this business as their own, and care as much as we the owners do,” he said. “The biggest thing that makes us successful is that we are passionate about our business. Every single aspect we strive for greatness.
“Mama Jackie makes every single dish on the menu from scratch, every single item right down to the caesar salad dressing is made in house. As a family we are involved in every part of the restaurant; the food and kitchen, the ingredients we bring in, the beverages, the service you receive when you dine with us.”
Portalaki said they’re establishment started in the same place the family roots are located — in the small villages in Crete. Both his parents possessed an affinity for food and taste and when they emigrated it began with a pizza shop and then in 1996 they opened La Casa Ouzeria. They moved to their current location on Main Street in 2002.
The biggest change in the restaurant industry is technology. Everything from how the food is ordered, to supplies andinventory to how customers can place their orders.
“When we first started we did everything by pen and paper; now we offer online ordering and reservations that customers can do quickly and when it’s convenient for them,” he said. “Marketing has changed enormously as well. Twenty-two years ago we had two options, radio and newspaper, that was it. Now with numerous online marketing tools, social media, and staying connected with our customers, it is a fascinating new era we are in.”
Because of the support they have received from the community, they try to give back whenever they can. Among these are: Penticton Minor Hockey, Penticton Minor Lacrosse, Penticton Secondary School grad and they are a candidate sponsor for Miss Penticton.
Portalaki said that in the hospitality industry they’re fortunate to have long-term serving and kitchen staff and that helps to make them the best they can be. We are a family run business with a large employee family that we couldn’t do it without.
“Being well-established in the community and not straying from what we first started with has kept us as a reliable choice for our many loyal and repeat customer as well as first time visitors that come and check us out,” he noted.


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Chilliwack residents might have to travel to Abbotsford for a while longer to pick up packages shipped by Purolator.
As of last Tuesday, the Chilliwack Visitor Centre on Luckakuck Way ceased to be the Chilliwack agent for Purolator Courier.
“It’s going to be a bit of a transition,” said Brian Coombes, executive director of Tourism Chilliwack.
The nearest ‘shipping-only’ location for Purolator packages is now the Staples Business Depot at 101-7491 Vedder Road.
Tourism Chilliwack board and staff made the business decision in the face of declining revenues over a number of years, Coombes said.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 1, they stopped having Purolator packages coming and going through the building.
“At this point they are working to establish an new ‘hold for pickup’ location in Chilliwack,” Coombes said.
Until then, customers have to drive to the Abbotsford Purolator office at 2140 Sumas Way in the Abbotsford Village Shopping Centre. To reach Purolator Customer Service call 1-888-744-7123.
Tourism Chilliwack first became a Purolator agent in the summer of 2007, with the express intent of driving more traffic to the Visitors’ Centre, as well as creating a new revenue stream, he said.
“But the revenue decreased every year since the first year, and we had to make a decision. The time commitment didn’t justify the revenue anymore.”
Tourism Chilliwack will be redoubling its entrepreneurial efforts in the coming months.
“We’ll focus on building our flag shop business, the visitors and on our destination marketing programs.”


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ENADA Spring 2023: begins today in Rimini!
2 minutos de lectura
(Rimini).- The 35th edition of ENADA Spring 2023 is starting today, 14th March until 16th March in Italy. The city of Rimini is ready to receive during three days the worldwide biggest names in this iGaming industry, that keeps growing.
Organized by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) with the collaboration of SAPAR, Enada 2023 involves the whole chain of the game, and features a showcase of everything new in this sector and it's the most important expo for southern European trade members.
A further pavilion will be dedicated to Rimini Amusement Show, the event that represents the reference point for the gaming industry without cash prizes for all ages.
The official opening is scheduled at 11 am local time in the Vision Arena in Hall C3, with speeches from Euromat president Jason Frost, Italian Exhibition Group CEO Corrado Peraboni and Sapar president Domenico Distante.
The scheduled Agenda for the first day in the Vision Arena is:
- the conference organised by Sapar on ‘The strategic role of territorial distribution and the supply chain in the Italian licensing system.
- Emergency Marche and beyond’, with the participation of president Domenico Distante, Emmanuele Cangianelli, president of EGP-FIPE, Geronimo Cardia, president of ACADI; Gennaro Parlati, president of Sistema Gioco Italia and Massimiliano Pucci, president of Astro. Fabio Felici, director of AGIMEG, will be moderating.
- At 3 pm (local time) will be the time for the Gioco News conference entitled ‘The new shape of gaming: between new content, devices and payments, a new sector is emerging'. How is the world of betting and casinos evolving to meet the changing needs of players?
- From more attractive content, to loyalty strategies, to contactless payment methods: in which direction is the sector heading? Mauro De Fabritiis, Founder of MDF Partners, will be discussing the topic with Marco Bedendo, Gaming Macines & Online Casino Managing Director at SISAL; Marco Castaldo, CEO of Microgame and Francesco Crudo, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs director for OKTO.
The schedule for Wednesday 15th March, starting at 3 pm (Vision Arena, Hall C3) is as follows:
- Sapar will be organising two workshops: the first, entitled 'Comma 7: ISI taxes following the reform of no-cash prize devices’, will feature interventions from Francesco Badolato and Generoso Bloise.
- 'Comma 6: VAT exemption accounting and tax profiles for slot revenues.
- New developments after recent Supreme Court rulings’ will see the participation of Generoso Bloise and Francesco Scardovi.
On 15th and 16th March at EspoGame with esports, gaming & web 3.0 Once again at this edition, Enada will be accompanied by the no cash winnings entertainment sector with the 5th Rimini Amusement Show, where the focus will be on esports with an extension to other trends such as gamification, the Metaverse, blockchains, cryptocurrencies and NFTs.
ABOUT ENADA 2023
Date: 14th– 16th March 2023: Organizer: Italian Exhibition Group; edition: 35th; frequency: annual; https://www.enada.it/
ABOUT RAS 20223
Date: 14th – 16th March 2023; Organizer: Italian Exhibition Group, the Consorzio FEE, Sapar; edition: 5thª; Frequency: annual; https://www.riminiamusement.it/
CGS Bahamas 2023
02 de May 2023
Successful edition of CGS Bahamas and promising prospects for CGS Chile
(Bahamas, SoloAzar Exclusive).- For Elizabeth Leiva, CEO of CGS GROUP, the balance of the recent edition of CGS Bahamas and the Regulators Forum was very positive. “The gaming industry in the Bahamas is constantly growing, regulated and changing,” says Leiva, as she prepares for CGS LATAM, which will take place in a few weeks in Santiago de Chile.
Friday 19 May 2023 / 12:00
Successful presentation of Land Vegas at CGS Bahamas
(Nassau, SoloAzar Exclusive).- David Fica Jaque, Founder and CEO of Land Vegas, presented in CGS Bahamas a preview of what will be Land Vegas, a Metaverse focused on entertainment and games, with sports betting and casino games. Exclusively with SoloAzar, he talked about his experience at the trade show and his plans for this year.
Monday 15 May 2023 / 12:00
Avigilon presented video surveillance at the CGS Bahamas Event
(Bahamas, SoloAzar Exclusive).- SoloAzar interviewed exclusively the regional sales director for Central America and the Caribbean of Avigilon, Norberto Torres, during the Caribbean Gaming Show (CGS) held on May 3rd and 4th in the Bahamas. In this article he tells us about the work they are doing, and the importance of being present in this event, as well as the firm´s plans for the future.
Tuesday 16 May 2023 / 12:00
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The Jib Wireless is the newly launched Bluetooth headphone by Skullcandy, available at an aggressive price tag of $35. As demand for Bluetooth headphones get increased, neckbuds have now become trend this year and Skullcandy, the pioneered headphone maker, is making cost effective wireless neckbuds.
Skullcandy’s new arrival Jib Wireless features a built-in mic and remote for taking calls and track controls. It delivers up to 6 hours of wireless connectivity on a single charge. The ear gels included in the pack will be convenient for everyone that seals noise outside noise the moment you plug in your ears. It will be available in red, purple, blue, and black colors.


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Narrow your search
A new ad campaign from Choice is calling on politicians to "work smart, not hard" against piracy, while the group says Australia should legalise the circumvention of geoblocking.
Canberra's busiest centres and commercial districts will get access to free Wi-Fi within the year with news that iiNet is rolling out 700 Wi-Fi access points across the capital.
While Telstra receives upwards of 85,000 requests for metadata from law enforcement each year, the telco has revealed police still use a very retro method to file the paperwork.
A leading digital privacy group has joined Telstra in warning that metadata stored under a mandatory data retention scheme could become a tempting cache of personal information for hackers.
As Tesla opens the doors on its first Australian showroom, the company has also confirmed locations for two supercharging stations in Sydney, and released a map of its projected east-coast supercharger network.
After nine years in stasis en route to the outer limits of the solar system, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has woken up in preparation for its Pluto survey.
Residents and visitors in Perth will now have greater access to free Wi-Fi across the CBD with the expansion of the city's public Wi-Fi network.
If you've found something in an online store that doesn't ship to Australia, you need a parcel forwarding service to go the extra mile(s). We've got all the details on the major services as well as everything you need to know about getting those goodies to your door.
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has called on internet advocates to fight new data retention laws in the best way they know how -- through a wave of memes directed at politicians in Canberra.
Optus now has Carrier Aggregation available via its 2300MHz spectrum in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide


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In a 4 May 2018 White House press release titled "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Personnel to Key Administration Posts," the President announced, among other things, that he is planning on nominating Dr. Mehmet Oz to a two-year term on the President's Council on Sport, Fitness, and Nutrition, or PCSFN:
President Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to be Members of the President’s Council on Sport, Fitness, and Nutrition for a term of two years:
[...] Mehmet Oz of New Jersey
First established in 1956, the Council "engages, educates, and empowers all Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition” through the promotion of various programs and initiatives that “motivate people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to be active and eat healthy."
Mehmet Oz — known popularly as Dr. Oz — is, like so many other nominees offered by Trump, a television personality. Launched into stardom after appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show as a health expert in the early 2000s, his medical background is as a cardiothoracic surgeon.
He is perhaps known to most, however, for his work promoting alternative cures and dubious pseudoscience through his eponymous Dr. Oz Show. He is best known to Trump, most likely, through his September 2016 appearance on that show where Oz declared that notes allegedly produced by Harold Bornstein (the personal doctor who now claims a clean bill of health issued in his name in 2016 was dictated by Trump himself) were “comprehensive”:
If a patient of mine had these records," Oz said, "I’d be very happy, and I’d send them on their way."
Oz has been criticized by the FTC for promoting dubious products or supplements on his show and was called by Senator Claire McCaskill to testify before the Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection in 2014 over his promotion of weight loss cures:
"I don't get why you say this stuff because you know it's not true," McCaskill said [to Oz] during Tuesday's hearing before the Senate subcommittee on consumer protection, which she chairs. "So why, when you have this amazing megaphone and this amazing ability to communicate, why would you cheapen your show by saying things like that?" [...]
"The scientific community is almost monolithic against you in terms of the efficacy of the three products you call miracles," McCaskill told Oz.
“You may think magic is make-believe, but this little bean has scientists saying they've found the magic weight-loss cure for every body type," he said on his show in 2012 of green coffee extract. The only research supporting that claim at the time was a study, since retracted, that had been funded by the product’s manufacturer.
A 2018 analysis of the Dr. Oz Show performed by Health News Reviews concluded that “about 78% of statements made on the Dr. Oz show did not align with evidence-based medical guidelines, society recommendations, or authority statements.” They also documented that much of the show’s content is directly related to the products being advertised during the show’s broadcast:
More than half of all recorded shows had content linked directly to advertisements: In the Dr. Oz show: 13 out of 19 (68.4%) shows had ads related to general show content, 11 /19 (57.9%) had specific products mentioned by the host using their commercial name, and 4/11 (36.3%) shows mentioning products by name named more than one product.
Dr. Oz has also used his show to give a platform to people widely seen as being part of a pseudoscientific fringe, including people like Dr. Joseph Mercola, the proprietor of a large alternative health web store who has been fined by the FTC for claiming that his tanning beds prevent cancer.
Many claims made by Dr. Oz and his guests have failed to hold up to any scrutiny, but one claim he made on 4 May 2018 does — he has indeed been tapped for nomination to the Presidential Council on Health, Nutrition, and Fitness.


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At E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, Univision announced that it will launch its UVideos digital network as an application on Xbox 360 Live Gold later this year. The UVideos application will allow audiences to discover, interact and watch the best programming from Univision’s portfolio of television networks. UVideos will be optimized for the Xbox 360 console, taking advantage of Kinect to give viewers an immersive experience and will feature social discovery, allowing users to see what their friends are watching or follow their favorite Univision personalities.
Although Univision is the first U.S. Hispanic company to offer content on Xbox, the news came as no surprise to many since Hispanics heavily over index in the use of digital and gaming devices. In fact, according to Simmons, Hispanics are 32 percent more likely than non-Hispanics to consider video games their main source of entertainment.
Hispanics are so eager for gaming offerings that they are also 54 percent more likely to buy a new video game the day it’s released than non-Hispanic gamers. Video games are the No. 1 games/toys purchased among Hispanics – 7.8 million Hispanics bought video games in the last 12 months. And in the next year, according to Scarborough, 1.6 million Hispanics are planning to buy a gaming console.
Deep diving into Hispanic gaming preferences indicates a higher affinity for action among different video game categories, with action/adventure games ranking highest among Hispanics gamers at 33 percent versus an estimated 24 percent of non-Hispanics. Sports-themed games come in second, with about 27 percent of Hispanics playing them versus an estimated 7 percent of non-Hispanics.
Whether they buy or rent video games, the truth is, Hispanics are playing – consistently and more often. And like their non-Hispanic counterparts, they are beyond the discovery stage and wholeheartedly interacting on consoles. For example, 29 percent of Hispanics prefer to own or play on Xbox 360 vs. 24 percent of non-Hispanics; 27 percent of Hispanics prefer to own or play on PlayStation 3 versus 22 percent of non-Hispanics; 26 percent of Hispanics prefer to own or play on Nintendo DS versus 19 percent of non-Hispanics and the same preferences continue with Game Boy Advance SP, Sony PSP and PlayStation.
Hispanics’ affinity toward gaming is already driving growth for brands. According to Simmons, from 2010 to 2011, Hispanics contributed 23 percent growth to Xbox while non-Hispanic gaming on Xbox grew 10 percent. With PlayStation, Hispanics contributed five percent growth while non-Hispanic gaming on the PlayStation console fell three percent.
With a population that is younger (62 percent of the Hispanic population versus 44 percent of non-Hispanics are under 35) and growing (Hispanics will account for 95 percent of the teen population growth in the United States through 2020), the opportunity to reach engaged, brand loyal gamers and grow your business lies with Hispanics.


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The nation's slow-growth recovery lumbered into its 34th consecutive month of subpar job creation last month as employers added 168,000 private-sector jobs and the unemployment rate remained stuck at 7.8%.
In a sign of continuing government austerity, public-sector employment fell by an estimated 13,000 in December and lost 68,000 over the course of last year, according to government data released Friday. That meant total nonfarm employment, which includes both government and private employers, increased by only 155,000 in December, which is too few to meaningfully lower the unemployment rate in any given month. »Read Full Article(471)
The building which houses a business incubator at the Milwaukee County Research Park is now 100 years old and some people think the building should be razed because it’s inefficient and underused.
A Milwaukee business owner whose companies operate over 100 fast food restaurants throughout the country is proposing to convert an empty building on King Drive into a small carry-out restaurant.
Valerie Daniels-Carter is proposing to buy a 319-square-foot building, and its 4,560-square-foot lot, from the city for $10,000, and spend around $40,000 renovating it, according to a new proposal. »Read Full Blog Post
Bucking a decadeslong trend that saw many manufacturing jobs migrate to lower-cost Southern states, Briggs & Stratton Corp. is closing a Georgia factory while adding 220 full-time jobs and 150 seasonal jobs at its Wauwatosa plant.
The FTC announced Thursday it has filed a court order that would require Amazon to refund consumers for the unauthorized charges, which happened via mobile devices such as the Kindle Fire, and to seek permission for in-app purchases in the future. »Read Full Article
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. is making a formal offer to buy the O’Donnell Park parking structure from Milwaukee County as part of its downtown corporate headquarters expansion.
Two closings, one a fait accompli, the other coming Saturday:
The founder of Isthmus Publishing Co. has sold the 38-year-old Madison news organization to a group that includes former Green Bay Packer Mark Tauscher.
The reopening of the Avalon Theater, in Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood, will likely take place a couple of months later than expected.
Owner Lee Barczak, who had planned for an opening by August, is now hoping to open the cinema in early October. Barczak said the delay was tied to the general difficulties of renovating an older building. »Read Full Blog Post


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BlueStacks has a dream: to bring mobile apps to the desktop. It does this by virtualizing an Android device on your Windows 7 PC (sorry Mac folks), allowing you to download and use all but a small fraction of free Android apps.
To that end, the company has released its first beta, a polished and in some cases hardware accelerated version of the alpha they released last year. Now apps open quickly, scroll smoothly and generally perform better than before, and you can control the orientation of the app via the arrow buttons.
They’ve also added a Cloud Connect app to the Play Store which allows you to cloud sync the apps on your phone to the BlueStacks player, a courtesy that will likely save users a lot of time in the long run. Though we’re not sure the experience will satisfy PC users or Android users — these ARM-based apps are not optimized to run on x86 processors, nor are they designed to be used with a mouse and keyboard — BlueStacks is opening up a world of free Angry Birds, Temple Run and, well, any other free app to the wider community.
The beta is available today along with the Cloud Connect app, and in partnership with GetJar, 1Mobile and Amazon, they are making it easy to install a large number of apps that are available on Google Play. Check out a demo video after the break.


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The governor of New York just signed a bill that allows industrial hemp to be not just cultivated, but also transported and sold, which provides a new economic opportunity for state farmers.
The industrial hemp market in New York is expanding, thanks to Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently signing a bill that allows the crop to be legally sold and transported.
Hemp farming is federally illegal, but President Obama signed the 2014 Farm Bill to allow universities and state departments of agriculture to cultivate industrial hemp for agricultural or academic research, provided grow sites are registered with their state.
With the signing of S6960/A9310, New York joins the 29 other states that have passed legislation related to industrial hemp. So far, one New York grow site – JD Farms in Eaton, Madison County – has received licensing to participate in the pilot program. The farm is working alongside Morrisville State College to cultivate the crop, which is legally growing in New York for the first time in 80 years.
“New York’s industrial hemp program is off to a tremendous start,” said Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endwell), co-sponsor of the bill. “Seeds were planted in July and plants that are harvested this fall will now be able to be processed and sold as a result of this legislation. Industrial hemp will benefit not only local agriculture, but has the potential for numerous manufacturing opportunities in the Southern Tier and throughout the state.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”17298″ img_size=”1200×250″ onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.medicalmarijuanainc.com/why-do-we-refer-to-hemp-as-industrial-hemp/”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The new law also allows for the hemp to be sold to manufacturers. Industrial hemp can be used to produce an array of products, including textiles, paper, plastics, building materials, car parts, bio-fuel, body care products and food. Hemp is also harvested to produce cannabidiol (CBD), the natural, non-psychoactive compound found in high concentrations in hemp. JD Farms is now growing industrial hemp on 30 acres.
“We are really excited to see this bill signed into law by the Governor,” Dan Dolgin, co-owner of JD Farms, said in a statement. “In order for the state to understand the true economic value of the industrial hemp industry, license-holders must be able to participate in the marketplace as credible growers, manufacturers and distributors of tangible product cultivated in New York soil. This bill makes it possible for us to negotiate price-points with interested buyers and produce statistically relevant data about the current state of the market for other farmers and institutions interested in participating in the program.”
Last year, the U.S. hemp market racked up $573 million in sales and the demand for industrial hemp has been growing “dramatically” in the United States. Calling industrial hemp “a potentially lucrative way to provide new economic opportunities and a competitive edge for state farmers,” Sen. Thomas O’Mara (R-Big Flats), sponsor of the bill, believes the new law will offer a boost to the state’s agricultural market.
“This new law significantly strengthens the foundation Assemblywoman Lupardo and I have been building over the past few years to place New York State at the forefront of a new industry with the potential to diversify our agricultural economy, generate revenue and create jobs,” said Sen. Thomas O’Mara (R-Big Flats), who sponsored the bill. “We’re moving forward to ensure that the development and growth of the industrial hemp industry will provide valuable new economic opportunities and a competitive edge for Southern Tier and Finger Lakes farmers and agribusinesses, together with the state’s agricultural industry overall.”


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Inditex is joining the fight against Coronavirus.
The parent company of Spanish fashion chain Zara announced that it will make its factories and logistics teams available to the Spanish government to provide masks for patients and medical workers healthcare professionals in Spain.
In a statement, Inditex said that it will make delivery of materials at least once a week. The fashion behemoth has already donated 10,000 protective face masks and by the end of this week expects to be in a position to ship a further 300,000.
In addition to distributing masks, the company is sourcing materials to make medical gowns and is investigating the possibility of switching some of its textile-manufacturing capacity over to the production of health materials, including involving its manufacturing experts.
Inditex joins the long list of fashion labels who have pledged their commitment to fighting the virus in response to the coronavirus epidemic. Moncler announced that it will donate 10 million euros to help fight the virus, Armani has donated 1.25 million to hospitals in Italy, Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni launched a large-scale fundraising campaign with her husband Fedez, while Dolce & Gabbana made a donation to a study by Italy’s Humanitas University into immune system responses to SARS-CoV-2.


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Financial results for 2019/20: Flügger generates sound growth and doubles its earnings
The 2019/20 financial year featured progress despite the global uncertainty arising from COVID-19. Flügger is posting 4% revenue growth and more than doubling its earnings from DKK 41 million to DKK 83 million equating to an EBIT margin of 4.4%.
Jimmi Mortensen, CEO:
“Events in the spring of 2020 took Flügger and the whole world by surprise. The COVID-19 crisis has both had both positive and negative effects on Flügger’s markets in Q4, i.e. the months of February–April 2020. In Q4, we experienced rising demand, particularly in Denmark, where revenue increased by 28%, and partly in Sweden, where revenue increased by 6%. Together, Denmark and Sweden account for more than 60% of our revenue. Conversely, the early shutdown of our dealer network in China and the substantially restricted consumer spending in Poland adversely impacted our revenue. In Norway, the sharp devaluation of the Norwegian krone has also adversely affected our revenue. Overall, we posted organic growth of 10% in Q4, which we are very pleased with, given the uncertain market conditions.
In the 2019/20 financial year, we stepped up our efficiency programme, which means that we now have a customised, sustainable portfolio of stores and a stronger platform from which to generate profitable growth. In 2019/20 we closed 16% of our own stores and enlarged the network of franchise stores by 7%. Overall, we closed more than one in five of our own stores during the strategy period. We are also continuously working to optimise our production, distribution, procurement and administrative functions, and these initiatives have already had a positive impact on our consolidated earnings, which we have managed to more than double.”
- Revenue was DKK 1,895 million compared to DKK 1,824 million last year, equating to 4% growth. The positive trend was primarily generated in Poland, where revenue increased 38%, influenced by the acquisition of Unicell, and 5% revenue growth in Denmark. Revenue generated in Sweden, Norway and sales to other countries decreased by 2%, 9% and 10%, respectively, due to factors such as COVID-19 and a sharply declining Norwegian exchange rate.
- EBIT more than doubled to DKK 83 million from DKK 41 million last year, corresponding to an EBIT margin of 4.4%
- The acquisition of controlling interest in the Polish paint manufacturer Unicell in November 2019 contributed revenue amounting to DKK 62 million.
- Our original target of using the efficiency programme to reduce consolidated costs by more than DKK 60 million p.a., once cost-cutting measures were fully implemented in 2020/21, has already been achieved in the 2019/20 financial year.
- Flügger has prepared an updated strategy aimed at 2023/24. The Group’s long-term milestone is to generate revenue of DKK 2.5 billion and an EBIT margin of +6% in 2023/24. Flügger expects most of its growth to be generated through further acquisitions that consolidate the Group’s position in Central and Eastern Europe.
- In the 2020/21 financial year, revenue is expected to be roughly DKK 2 billion and the EBIT margin around 6%.


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The Association of Market and Social Research Organisations (AMSRO) has sent an open letter to all governments in the wake of COVID-19 asking that all levels to continue to use and support market and social research services as a priority.
- Corona Beer among the ‘winners’ in coronavirus sales surge
- Snapchat now lets users share Stories to outside apps like Triller
- Amazon fires the NYC worker who led a strike over coronavirus safety concerns
- Consumers believe brands can lead coronavirus response, but demand practical solutions
- Navigating TV advertising during and after coronavirus


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The total size of the creator economy is estimated to be worth over $100 billion. And yet most creators struggle to financial independence, or even to generate income at all.
Shopify wants to amplify solo creators through its latest feature, Collabs.
As a solo creator, discovering brands and establishing partnerships is cumbersome, and creators would rather spend their time doing what they love—engaging with their audiences,” Shopify explains. And for merchants, the creator economy presents a new way to find new consumers, at a time when acquiring customers has become increasingly difficult and expensive. Creators “are trusted by audiences who look to them to share product recommendations they know they’ll love.”
Through Shopify Collabs, creators can discover merchants, build curated shops, and share products that reflect their own interests, accelerating a path to entrepreneurship. Creators partner with merchants and use Linkpop, Shopify’s free link in bio tool built for commerce, to curate and share, the company says.
“Shopify is where the world’s best independent brands go to build their businesses,” says Amir Kabbara, Director of Product, Shopify. “With Shopify Collabs, we’re making it simple for creators to discover and partner with these brands so they can make more money and reach economic independence.”
In the future, Kabbara says Collabs “will be fully integrated with Shopify, giving creators access to more parts of our platform and accelerating their journey as entrepreneurs.”
Shopify’s goal is to bring economic independence to this new generation of entrepreneurs—while also benefiting merchants.
“For Shopify merchants, Collabs is a new way to find potential customers at a time when it’s never been more difficult or expensive,” Kabbara said. “By giving merchants the ability to discover and partner with creators that align with their brand, they can tap into the power of community-driven commerce to reach consumers in new and meaningful ways.”


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Cashew, Market Update 28.04.2023
The Vietnam Cashew Association (Vinacas) has requested a tax on cashew kernel imports from Africa to safeguard domestic cashew processing. Vinacas has suggested that Vietnam negotiate and sign bilateral trade agreements with African nations, import and export tax exemptions for each other's goods, including raw cashew nuts exported from Africa to Vietnam. In case no bilateral trade agreements have been reached, Vinacas has proposed imposing a 25% import tax on cashew kernels.
Currently, cashew-growing African nations are reducing raw cashew nut exports by introducing high export taxes and offering preferential policies to attract investment in cashew processing factories.